There is a matriarchal marriage custom in Niba Village, Gannan. What are its characteristics?

On the journey in Gannan, we left Zhuoni on this day and went upstream along Taohe River. After driving about 80 kilometers, we arrived at the remote Niba Tibetan Village. In this Tibetan village with a history of more than 200 years, the houses in the village are built on the mountain, from low to high, and each household is connected by an overhead plank road. Looking from a distance, it is patchwork and unique.

It is said that in ancient times, the building method of connecting residents was mainly to resist foreign invasion. Imagine that the village on the hillside has an excellent view, and the river at the foot of the mountain blocks it, forming a natural natural natural barrier. Moreover, because all households are connected and combined into a strict defense whole, it is quite beneficial to be invaded by bandits or to guard against theft and bandits.

As early as 20 13, Niba Tibetan Village was listed in the list of traditional Chinese villages. "Niba" is a Tibetan transliteration, meaning "hillside facing the sun". The whole village faces south, and the sunny and clear Cheba River passes through the village and goes straight to Taohe River. Dense Tibetan traditional houses are all over the hillside. From a distance, they seem to be hanging on the hillside, supported by countless pieces of wood, a bit like the diaojiao building in Tibet.

Today's Niba Tibetan village is divided into two by Cheba River. On the south bank of the river in Ma Pingchuan, new Tibetan courtyards have mushroomed. Many houses are under construction, and the century-old Tibetan village on the hillside on the other side has become two worlds.

When we walked into the old village on the hillside, the village looked particularly quaint and quiet. At close range, we can see that these old houses are all thick rammed earth external walls, while the courtyard and the plank road connecting residents are supported by logs according to the mountain situation. These suspended plank roads not only solved the traffic problems of people and animals on the rugged hillside, but also expanded the effective living area of Tibetan villages.

Niba village used to be a Tibetan settlement formed by nomadic people. In terms of living customs, the ancient nomadic tradition is still maintained. For example, there is also a unique wedding custom here. The married girl will go back to her mother's house the next day after marriage, and she will stay for three years before going to the man's house.

During this period, the husband can come to the woman's house at any time, and the children born within three years, whether male or female, should be left to the woman's house. This kind of marriage custom, some remnants of matriarchal clan society, is propagated by the descendants of nomadic people.